Abu Sayyaf sub-leader nabbed in Quezon City – police

THE Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on Monday arrested an Abu Sayyaf Group sub-leader involved in the kidnapping of nurses and plantation workers in Basilan province more than a decade ago.

Based on reports, Director Francisco Uyami, CIDG chief, said that Sali Basal Taib (alias Anwar Gabinul, Gong-Gong Sali, and Abu Husni) was arrested by the joint forces of CIDG and National Intelligence Agency (NCA) on July 25 at San Miguel Extension, Barangay Payatas in Quezon City.

“The arrest of the accused was the result of a long painstaking surveillance operation as the same was then very elusive and assumed another name in hiding his real identity to evade the law,” Uyami said.

The CIDG director said that Taib alternately used the named Albasher Sali, Albasher Baddin Saleh, Albasher Yahub Sali and Albasher Sali and managed to work in Saudi Arabia as electrician and lineman from December 2006 up to May 2013.

“Ultimately an informant provided vital information revealing the hideout of the accused and his photographs taken after the arrest was positively identified by his kidnapping victims,” Uyami said.

The CIDG chief said Taib is one of the sub-leaders of ASG commander, Isnilon Hapilon and was involved in the abduction of several nurses from the Dr. Torres Hospital in Lamitan City, Basilan on June 2, 2001.

Taib was said to be involved also in the kidnapping of workers of Golden Harvest Plantation at Brgy. Tairan, Lantawan also in Basilan on June 11, 2001.

The CIDG chief said that Taib, who is now detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, was arrested based on several warrants of arrest issued by two different trial courts in Basilan. Anthony Vargas